Awareness of Privacy Law among Supermarket Owners: A Study of Video Surveillance Practices in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania

Abstract

The widespread installation of video surveillance systems in supermarkets has facilitated unprecedented collection and analysis of personal data, raising significant concerns regarding customer privacy rights. Despite this extensive data collection, supermarket owners exhibit limited compliance with existing privacy legislation. This study examined the awareness of privacy law among supermarket owners utilizing video surveillance systems, grounded in legal realism theory and employed a qualitative research design. Data were collected through structured interviews with a sample of 60 respondents selected through snowball sampling. Thematic analysis was employed to analyze the collected data. The findings revealed that the majority of supermarket owners use video surveillance primarily for security purposes, with only a few utilizing it to analyze customer purchasing trends and preferences. However, their understanding and awareness of privacy law remain limited. Based on these findings, it is recommended that targeted awareness campaigns, training programs, and clear regulatory guidance be implemented to assist supermarket owners in complying with the Personal Data Protection Act No. 11 of 2022.